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DEOS Research

Space Systems for Planetology and Applications (SSPA) Scientific Group

Last Updated On 21 January 2026

The “Space Systems for Planetology and Applications” (SSPA) scientific group focuses on one main area of research: The development of missions and associated technologies for geophysical exploration of the solar system.

Our Research Areas

The SSPA group focuses its work on two main themes:

The study of the internal structure and physical properties of the telluric planets and small bodies of the solar system: This research aims to understand the composition, internal structure and evolution of these objects.
Studying the coupling between the solid surface and the atmosphere of planets: This approach explores the interactions between atmospheric phenomena and the geology of these worlds.

These themes are part of a dual strategy:

The preparation of future space missions, involving the design and development of innovative instrumentation.
The analysis of data from past or current missions in order to refine existing scientific models.

Our Missions and Research Projects

The SSPA group is involved in a number of major space missions, each contributing to a better understanding of the solar system.

InSight is part of NASA's Discovery program, managed by the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built the InSight spacecraft, including its cruise stage and lander, and supported spacecraft operations for the mission.

Several European partners, including France's Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), are supporting the InSight mission. CNES provided NASA with the SEIS (Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure) instrument, with the principal investigator at IPGP (Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris).

Major contributions to SEIS came from IPGP; the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Germany; the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) in Switzerland; Imperial College London and Oxford University in the UK; and JPL.

The Marsquake Service is led by ETH Zurich, with major contributions from IPGP; University of Bristol; Imperial College; ISAE-SUPAERO; MPS; and JPL. DLR supplied the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package (HP3), with major contributions from the Space Research Center (CBK) of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Astronika in Poland. The Spanish Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) supplied the temperature and wind sensors.

The SSPA group is present on the NASA Perseverance rover (Mars 2020; which will prepare the sample return mission) through its contribution to the SuperCam instrument, which analyses rocks remotely using LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) technology.

We produced and supplied the first Martian microphone, which complements the LIBS measurements by providing calibrated information on rock hardness.

The SSPA team is involved in numerous small body missions.

Our involvement ranges from the development of instruments specifically for the exploration of small bodies, to the physical properties of the surface and internal structure of asteroids.

The SSPA team has invested in mission studies (in collaboration with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech) aimed at studying the internal structure of the planet Venus, this time using the couplings of the 'solid' planet with the atmosphere: We think we can detect these earthquakes either using balloons measuring infrasound in the upper atmosphere (60 km) of Venus, or by measuring infrared luminescence (airglow) from orbit.

This collaboration has resulted in several instrumented balloon flights in collaboration with JPL/Caltech and Sandia Labs in the United States.

The PIONEERS project (Planetary Instruments based on Optical technologies for an iNnovative European Exploration using Rotational Seismology) has been selected as a research and innovation action under the H2020-SPACE-20-2018 call for proposals.

This project, funded by the European Commission, aims to develop a new generation of planetary seismometers.

Coordinated by ISAE-SUPAERO, it aims to achieve a technological breakthrough that should make it possible to feel deformations 100 times smaller than the sensors currently available. To achieve this, optical interferometry technologies will be used to measure translations as well as rotations of the planetary surface. The addition of rotation measurement to traditional seismometers will enable new methods of probing planetary interiors and identifying seismic sources.

Two instruments will be developed over the 4 years of the project. A prototype ultra-low-noise instrument for the telluric planets of the solar system, and a more compact flight model, in CubeSat format, for application to asteroids.

PIONEERS is supported by a European consortium of research laboratories (ISAE-SUPAERO, ETHZ, IPGP, ORB, LMU) and an industrial partner (iXblue). This research initiative brings together cutting-edge skills in planetary instrumentation, geodesy and rotational seismology, as well as space electronics and optics.

EntrySat, the very first French 3U cubesat, was deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) on 3 July at 16:25 UTC (18:25 local time). The main objectives of the EntrySat mission were to study the atmospheric re-entry of space debris. EntrySat was also to carry out experiments to communicate with the ground and measure the characteristics of the atmosphere.

EntrySat was part of the CNES JANUS project (Jeunes en Apprentissage pour la réalisation de Nanosatellites au sein des Universités et des écoles de l'enseignement supérieur). The development was led by the SSPA team and involved many researchers, engineers and students from ISAE-SUPAERO who participated in the design of the nanosatellite, assisted by ONERA and the University of Toulouse.

Access OPEN SCIENCE to find all our publications, theses, scientific instruments and technology platforms

Our Technologies and Instruments

The SSPA group plays a crucial role in the design and development of advanced technologies for space exploration. These technologies include:

Seismic and infrasound sensors to analyse the internal and atmospheric activities of planets.
On-board observation instruments to collect data in real time.
Shock and vibration detection systems used to study asteroids and comets.

David Mimoun

Head of SSPA Group

david.mimoun@isae-supaero.fr +33 5 61 33 80 80

The InSight Mission to Mars

The InSight mission was selected by NASA in August 2012 as part of the DISCOVERY programme. On November 26, 2018, it deployed the first geophysical observatory on Mars, with the aim of providing scientific knowledge essential to understanding the fundamental processes involved in the formation of telluric planets and their evolution. To achieve this, it carries two scientific instruments: The SEIS seismometer and HP3, an instrument for measuring heat flows from the planet’s core.

The SEIS seismometer, which measures seismic activity, meteorite impact flux, and Phobos tide measurements, characterises the inner structure of Mars, providing information on the thickness and structure of the crust, the composition and structure of the mantle, and the size of the core. It has been developed over more than 10 years by the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP) with the support of CNES and CNRS, and a wide range of international partners: IPGP, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ), Max Planck Institute Lindau, Imperial College London and Oxford, Jet Propulsion Laboratory andISAE-SUPAERO.

SSPA researchers provide two mission co-investigators (David Mimoun, Raphael Garcia) and 5 collaborators (Naomi Murdoch, Nicolas Compaire, Leo Martire, Melanie Drilleau, Alexandre Stott), and have contributed to the InSight mission through the SEIS instrument performance model, the mission performance model, the specification of the scientific software and the design of the instrument’s concept of operations on Mars. They are also making a significant contribution to the exploitation of scientific data on the structure of the crust, the internal structure of the planet, and the study of dust devils.

Some of the SSPA group’s research themes related to the InSight mission:

Variations in wind (Murdoch et al. 2017), atmospheric pressure (Murdoch et al., 2018, Garcia et al., 2020), magnetic field or temperature are natural phenomena that create noise on the SEIS instrument. Understanding and predicting these sources of noise (Mimoun et al., 2017) has been important in designing the mission, defining the specifications and exploiting the data. To help NASA and the InSight team choose the best possible location for the SEIS instrument, we also produced performance and noise maps of each point around the lander. These maps list all the noises likely to interfere with the instrument's measurements and take into account all the known characteristics of the Martian environment.

Understanding the internal structure of the terrestrial planets (Earth, Mars and the Moon) is a fundamental challenge if we are to gain a better understanding of their formation process and evolution. To achieve this, the recordings made by terrestrial seismological stations, and those from the Apollo and InSight missions, are key data for probing the interior of planets. In this context, a major area of research is the development of algorithms for inversion of seismological and, more broadly, geophysical data, in order to estimate seismic velocity and temperature profiles in the interior of planets, as well as their mineralogical composition (Drilleau et al., 2013, 2020; Panning et al., 2015, 2017; Bissig, 2018; Garcia et al., 2019).

Determining the structure of the near surface provides constraints on the geological history of a planet. Pressure fluctuations in the Martian atmosphere generate small deformations in the soil, which can be measured by the SEIS seismometer on the InSight mission. These deformations are highly dependent on the elastic properties of the regolith. Using pressure, wind and ground deformation data records, it is possible to estimate the elastic parameters beneath the lander in the first 20 metres below the surface (Lognonné et al., 2019, Kenda et al., 2020, Garcia et al., 2020, Murdoch et al., 2020). Initial results have shown the presence of a transition between the regolith on the surface and a harder rock, which would correspond to blocks of rock ejected during a meteorite impact (Lognonné et al., 2020).

InSight measures wind speed, wind direction, and atmospheric pressure almost continuously, providing more data than previous ground missions. These meteorological sensors have detected hundreds of convective vortices (eddies) called dust devils when they collect dust and become visible. The InSight site has more vortices than any other place we've landed on Mars with weather sensors (Banfield, Spiga et al., 2020). SEIS can feel these vortices pulling at the surface like a giant hoover (Lorenz et al., 2015). As well as being able to calculate the elasticity of the Martian surface by measuring the suction of the soil by passing dust vortices (Lognonné et al., 2020; Banerdt et al., 2020), the combined seismic and pressure measurements can provide constraints on the properties of the vortices and its trajectories (Murdoch et al., 2020), and may indicate heterogeneities in the subsurface structure around the InSight lander (Golombek et al., 2020).

The Mars Microphone On Board NASA’s Perseverance Rover

The SSPA group is present on the NASA Perseverance rover (Mars 2020; which will prepare f or a sample return mission) through its contribution to the SuperCam instrument, which analyses rocks remotely using LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) technology.

We produced and supplied the first Martian microphone, which complements the LIBS measurements by providing calibrated information on rock hardness.

Some of the SSPA group’s research themes related to the Mars microphone:

We are studying the acoustic signal associated with plasma formation during the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) experiment on SuperCam. Our research shows that listening to LIBS sparks provides information about the target hardness/density. These results are independent of and complementary to the LIBS spectrum.

The microphone records the aeroacoustic noise generated by the wind passing in front of the microphone. Using experiments carried out in the Mars Wind Tunnel in Aarhus, we have demonstrated that the microphone on SuperCam has the potential to determine both the speed and direction of the wind on Mars, thereby contributing to scientific research into the atmosphere.

Small-Body Missions

The SSPA team is involved in a number of small body missions. Our involvement ranges from the development of instruments specifically for the exploration of small bodies, to the physical properties of the surface and internal structure of asteroids.

The AIDA mission
The MMX rover on Phobos
The H2020 NEO-MAPP project

Assessment of asteroid impact and deflection (DART + Hera)

NASA's DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) mission will reached Didymos in September 2022 and headed towards Dimorphos at a speed of around 6.6 km/s. The last thing that DART transmitted to Earth before the collision was an image of the surface of Dimorphos.

Post-impact investigations will be carried out initially from Earth, then by the other component of AIDA, ESA's Hera mission (scheduled for launch in 2024). The detailed post-impact studies of Hera (Michel et al., 2017) will transform the large-scale impact experiment into a well-understood and reproducible planetary defence technique.

The overall results from both missions should provide a baseline for planning any future planetary defence strategy, offering insight into the type of force needed to move an asteroid's orbit, and better understanding of how the technique could be applied if a real threat were to occur.

DART and Hera are autonomous; each mission alone will provide valuable knowledge. However, when combined, this knowledge will be multiplied considerably.

The SSPA's involvement in these missions is twofold: To help prepare the immediate operations of the Hera mission, in particular with regard to the landing and operational strategy of the CubeSats, and to conduct the scientific analyses of the DART and Hera missions, in particular with regard to the geophysical properties of Didymoon (internal structure and surface mechanical properties). Naomi Murdoch is co-I on the Hera mission and a collaborator on the DART mission.

The Martians Moons eXploration (MMX) mission from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA, will visit the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos, and return samples from Phobos to Earth.

As part of this mission, a small rover (25 kg), provided by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), with additional contributions from INTA (Spain) and JAXA, will be delivered to the surface of Phobos.

The rover will be a technological demonstration of locomotion on a low-gravity, regolith-covered planetary surface. In addition, the rover will provide scientific data on the properties of the regolith (mechanical, mineralogical and thermal), provide contextual information for the returned samples, and help reduce the risks of MMX mission operations.

One of the four scientific instruments on board the rover is the 'WheelCams' (PI: Naomi Murdoch). These cameras will observe the interactions between the rover's wheels and the surface in order to characterise the mechanical properties of the regolith.

In the SSPA team, as well as preparing the analysis of the WheelCams data, we are studying the feasibility and expected performance of a wheeled vehicle on the surface of Phobos.

NEO-MAPP 'Near Earth Object Modeling And Payload for Protection' is a project funded by the European Commission's H2020 programme. This project addresses the theme of 'Advanced Research on Near Earth Objects (NEOs) and New Payload Technologies for Planetary Defence' (SUSPACE-23-SEC-2019).

The main objective of NEO-MAPP is to support the development and analysis of data from small-body missions, such as Hera, and to make significant advances both in our understanding of the response of near-Earth objects to external forces (in particular a kinetic impact or a close passage to a planet), and in the measurements made by space missions.

The objectives of NEO-MAPP are as follows:

Pushing the limits of numerical modelling of the response of NEOs to kinetic impact, as well as their physical and dynamic properties, while developing European modelling capabilities related to planetary defence and NEO exploration
Increasing the maturity of multiple European space instruments directly related to planetary defence, while focusing on measurements of the surface, shallow subsurface and interior properties of NEOs
Developing algorithms and simulators to prepare for proximity operations and data exploitation
Developing innovative and synergistic data measurement and analysis strategies that combine several instruments, to ensure optimal exploitation of data from small-body missions
Developing and validating robust GNC strategies and technologies enabling interaction between a surface and a CubeSat or small/micro-atterracer, and response measurements

The NEO-MAPP team will devote considerable resources to developing significant and innovative synergies between the two sub-themes. As such, NEO-MAPP will provide significant advances in our understanding of near-Earth objects while building on the expertise of European scientists and engineers in planetary defence efforts and small body exploration.

Some of the SSPA group’s research themes related to small bodies:

The dynamics of regolith (granular material on planetary surfaces) is also involved in the evolution of small bodies in our solar system and is essential for the design and/or operation of landers, sampling devices and rovers.

Landing on asteroids: Understanding surface-lander interactions is important for all landers as these considerations influence deployment strategy, mission design and operations, and even the choice of payload. To simulate landing on an asteroid, we have developed an Atwood machine: A variable-gravity drop tower (Sunday et al., 2016). With the tower, we perform low-speed collisions in low-gravity conditions. The results of our experiments indicate that low-gravity collisions lead to more fluidised grain behaviour (Murdoch et al., 2017). To see an experiment on the simulation of an asteroid landing.
Low-gravity rolling: Using a DEM code, which we have improved and validated to model the specific interactions of a wheel with the regolith of a small body (Sunday et al., 2020), we are studying how the behaviour of a wheel (traction, manoeuvrability, etc.) varies according to the type of regolith and at different gravity levels. The results will be used directly to plan the operations of the MMX rover and to interpret the interactions between the wheels and the regolith on Phobos.

Understanding the internal structure of an asteroid has important implications for interpreting its history and understanding its ongoing geological evolution, as well as for asteroid deflection and the use of in situ space resources. There is strong evidence that asteroids are seismically active (see Murdoch et al., 2015 for a review). The SSPA team studies the natural seismicity (tidal forces, impacts, thermal cracking,...) of asteroids to understand the consequences for their evolution and internal structure, and for future asteroid seismic stations (Garcia et al., 2015; Murdoch et al., 2017).

By measuring ground displacement due to seismic activity on the surface of asteroids, a geophone can provide constraints on the stratification and mechanical properties of the subsurface, in addition to the typical size of subsurface heterogeneities.

Seismology has long been considered a key technique for understanding a planetary body and its interior. However, despite the evidence that asteroids are seismically active and the obvious need to deepen our understanding of their internal structure, no seismic experiments have ever been carried out on the surface of an asteroid.

To achieve the objective of putting a seismometer on the surface of a small body, we are developing an instrument adapted to the environment of the small body. Our low-mass, low-power seismometer can be integrated into a small lander (e.g. a CubeSat) and can operate in the harsh environment of the asteroid's surface.

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Aerospace summer program

News

ISAE-SUPAERO will be at the Paris Air Show from June 16 to 22, 2025!

Aeronautics

Event

Fair

Testimonials

Testimony from Yves Gourinat, elected full member of the Air and Space Academy

DMSM

Structures and materials

Teacher researcher

Videos

Start-up insights: interview with Ugo Bonnet from the Space Flight Institute

In recent years, ISAE-SUPAERO has developed a range of services and comprehensive support for its project leaders (students, doctoral students, teacher-researchers, and alumni), earning it the title of incubator. It is in line with this support philosophy that the Institute currently hosts numerous startups that were created within its walls. Today we welcome Ugo Bonnet, CEO of the Space Flight Institute, a company that offers innovative training (in partnership with ISAE-SUPAERO) to future professionals in human spaceflight, whether on Earth or in orbit. Ugo Bonnet discusses the creation of the organization, its major successes, and its plans for the future.

Alumni

Space

Startup

News

OPEN SCIENCE ISAE-SUPAERO: ISAE-SUPAERO science in the open air!

ISAE-SUPAERO continues to contribute to the open science movement and has created a new open archive platform called OPEN SCIENCE ISAE-SUPAERO. It provides everyone with access to our theses, publications, scientific instruments and technological platforms.

Science

Scientific publication

Thesis

Videos

Training courses: space studies

Find out more about our courses and #information in the field of space! The space dimension is strongly developed within our various training courses, whether in specific streams or dedicated programs. French and international students alike are showing a keen interest in our educational programs in Earth observation and the sciences of the Universe, as well as in the design and operation of space systems. Space research and industry employ many ISAE-SUPAERO engineers. Explore the world of space!

Programme

Space

News

A protocol chosen to secure communications with quantum computers

DISC

Researcher

Scientific publication

News

CIME 2025: Where Science Meets Adventure to Push the Limits of Exploration

At ISAE-SUPAERO, the 2025 Interdisciplinary Congress on Extreme Worlds (CIME) gathers researchers and adventurers determined to push human limits in the planet’s most extreme environments.

Exploration

Innovation

Space

Pages

Institute for Sustainable Aviation

Created in 2021 on the initiative of internationally renowned academic institutions with longstanding academic expertise in aeronautics and air transport, the ISA is an institute dedicated to the challenges of aviation's transition to sustainability.

Aeronautics

Aviation

Decarbonization

Videos

The Dart mission has hit its target: explanations from Dr Naomi Murdoch, planetary scientist at ISAE-SUPAERO

Researchers from ISAE-SUPAERO are participating in this first planetary defence mission. Dr. Naomi Murdoch, a researcher at ISAE-SUPAERO and scientific member of the #DART and #HERA missions, comments on the objectives of DART and those of the European HERA mission, which will arrive in the area in 2026 to characterise the crater left by DART and study the internal structure of the asteroid #Dimorphos!

DEOS

Researcher

Space

Videos

Arnaud Prost, ESA reserve astronaut and ISAE-SUPAERO alumnus: “I was incredibly lucky to be here”

Fighter pilot and reserve astronaut with the European Space Agency (ESA), Arnaud Prost returned to his former school on Thursday March 28 to meet 200 secondary school students as part of the ISAE SUPAERO OSE program. It was an opportunity for him to recall the “great memories” of his student experience at ISAE-SUPAERO, his long-standing commitment to the student social outreach program and the “Aquanauts” scheme he set up with OSE l'ISAE-SUPAERO. And in passing, he offers a few words of advice to young people who might dream of following in his footsteps: “Don't let yourself be convinced that one of these paths isn't for you!” A 2017 graduate of ISAE-SUPAERO, Arnaud Prost is among those selected for the ESA Astronaut Class of 2022, alongside Sophie Adenot and Anthea Comellini, both also alumni of the school. They join other illustrious ESA astronauts who have already studied at the school: Thomas Pesquet, Luca Parmitano and Samantha Cristoforetti. Since 1970, ISAE-SUPAERO has contributed to the progress of the space age through its training, research and innovation activities. As the only organization in France to offer degree courses (engineering, master's, specialized master's, doctorate) covering all 22 space-related themes identified by CNES, the Institute offers a royal road to space careers. For Arnaud Prost's full profile: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/A

Alumni

Diversity program

Space

News

Capturing the seismic activity of an asteroid: our Apophis rendezvous

DEOS

Research

Space

News

Focus on... quantum physics in ISAE-SUPAERO training courses

ISAE-SUPAERO has been integrating quantum physics into its training and research activities uninterruptedly since 1980, and for the past two decades has been offering courses linked to the second quantum revolution.

DEOS

Ingénieur généraliste (MSc)

Teacher researcher

News

Meteorite impact reveals new insights into Mars

In September 2021, NASA's InSight mission recorded a meteorite impact. Analysis of the data by scientists has revolutionised our understanding of the internal structure of Mars and its evolution. Its mantle is not homogeneous, as previously assumed, but composed of a layer of molten silicates overlying the core. Press release from the IPGP - Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris: ‘The InSight mission reveals a molten layer at the base of the Martian mantle’.

DEOS

Space

News

“My summer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory”: Axel’s account, a student on the TAS Astro Advanced Master’s programme

Since May, Axel Coulon has been interning at NASA's famous JPL in Los Angeles. He is working on detecting helicopter landing sites on Mars. A student in the MS TAS Astro programme, he recounts this incredible space adventure that took him from his native Lorraine to California.

Internship

Programme

Space

Events

2025 edition of "La nuit des chercheurs"

Meet ISAE-SUPAERO researchers at the Nuit des Chercheurs de Toulouse, on October 3 at 6pm at the Halles de la Cartoucherie, on the theme of “Intelligence(s)”!

Aerospace

Researcher

Science

Pages

Design and Analysis of Critical Systems (CASC) Scientific Group

The “Design and Analysis of Critical Systems” (CASC) scientific group focuses on methods, processes and tools to support System Engineering and Systems Engineering.

DISC

Doctoral student

PhD

Videos

ISAE-SUPAERO publishes its Aviation and Climate Reference Framework

The ISAE-SUPAERO #Aviation and #Climate reference framework aims to provide #scientific information useful for understanding the challenges facing aviation and the climate. This work has undergone a specific review process involving both ISAE-SUPAERO staff and external researchers from various institutes.

Decarbonization

Researcher

Sustainability

Events

AASTRA Certificate: presentation webinar on March 25 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Air transport

News

BROMO: the joint venture project involving major European space industry players presented to ISAE-SUPAERO students

In December 2025, ISAE-SUPAERO welcomed major players in the European space industry (Airbus, Thales and Leonardo) for an exceptional conference on the BROMO project.

Conference

Space

Pages

Aerodynamics, Energetics, and Propulsion Department (DAEP)

At ISAE SUPAERO, the Aerodynamics, Energetics, and Propulsion Department has a staff of 62, 30 research projects including 5 on a European scale, an exceptional fleet of test facilities for teaching and research purposes, and three research groups contributing to a growth strategy focused on 4 themes of current scientific and social-economic challenge, supported by 2 structuring projects: the SAA wind tunnel and the IC3 large-scale simulation code.

DAEP

PhD

Researcher

Pages

Design and Operation of Aerospace Vehicles Department (DCAS)

At ISAE-SUPAERO, the Design and Operation of Aerospace Vehicles Department (DCAS) develops methods, simulation tools and experimental platforms for the design and operation of aerospace vehicles.

DCAS

PhD

Researcher

Pages

Research

At ISAE-SUPAERO, we conduct cutting-edge research in the service of innovation, technological sovereignty and the ecological transition of the aerospace sector, thereby affirming our role as a leading player in the scientific and industrial community.

DAEP

DCAS

DEOS

News

CASTOR Chair: Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse and ISAE-SUPAERO, a win-win partnership

The official signing of the industrial chair, called CASTOR, between Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse and ISAE-SUPAERO took place on Tuesday 9 July at the institute's campus. This research partnership contributes to research into carbon-free aircraft.

Aeronautics

Chair

Company

Testimonials

Testimony from Alexandre Bouraoui, engineering student by apprenticeship and IAC 2025 Award Winner

Final-year engineering apprentice, specializing in Industrialisation and Methods for Aeronautics and Space, Alexandre Bouraoui was recently honored at the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2025) in Sydney, where he won the prestigious Hermann Oberth Gold Medal in the Graduate category. We spoke with him about his award and his studies at ISAE-SUPAERO.

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Congress

Pages

Our Semester & Short Programmes

Discover ISAE-SUPAERO's academic excellence through our semester and short programmes, open to international students.

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Aerospace summer program

Videos

Perseverance collects first Martian sounds: explanation by Dr. Naomi Murdoch & Dr. Alexander Stott

Dr Naomi Murdoch, researcher in space instrumentation and planetary science, and Dr Alexander Stott, post-doctoral fellow, tell us more about the physical characteristics of Mars' atmosphere, in particular the speed of sound and its attenuation. These analyses were published in Nature on April 1, 2022 by an international team led by a teacher-researcher from Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier University, and including scientists from CNRS and ISAE-SUPAERO.

DEOS

Researcher

Space

Videos

Discover... the ISAE-SUPAERO radio anechoic chamber

ISAE-SUPAERO – as a centre for training through research, research training and innovation – has a wide range of research equipment used within its six research departments. Today, we present the radio anechoic chamber! Drones and nanosatellites have many applications in the media, industry, agriculture and telecommunications sectors. These two types of platforms share the common constraint of having to carry complex systems in a small space. One of the key elements of on-board communication systems is the antenna, which must also be compact and lightweight. ISAE-SUPAERO, in collaboration with ENAC and ANYWAVES, is currently developing dielectric antennas made by 3D printing ceramics that meet the demanding criteria for integration on drones and nanosatellites. Thanks to the anechoic chamber available at ISAE-SUPAERO, researchers involved in the development of these original antennas can accurately characterise their radiation properties and thus validate the new technological solutions proposed.

DCAS

DEOS

News

ISAE-SUPAERO back on mission with Hera

The Hera mission, an international planetary defence mission, is on its way to study the asteroid Dimorphos, which will be struck by DART in 2022. ISAE-SUPAERO is actively collaborating in this international planetary defence programme through the research work of Naomi Murdoch and the SSPA team.

DEOS

Space

Pages

Semester Research Projects

Take your studies to the next level by participating in a semester-long research project at ISAE-SUPAERO: immerse yourself in cutting-edge laboratories alongside international experts and contribute to advances in aeronautics and space technology.

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Aerospace summer program

News

Mission Insight: the contribution of researchers from ISAE-SUPAERO

The InSight lander deployed by NASA recorded two earthquakes that occurred on Mars in 2021, providing scientists with exceptional data, the first direct observations ever made of a planet's core.

DEOS

Space

Videos

Discover... CMOS image sensors at ISAE-SUPAERO

ISAE-SUPAERO - as a center for training through research, research training and innovation - has a wide range of research equipment used in its 6 research departments. Today, we present CMOS image sensors! CMOS image sensors are playing an increasingly important role in our everyday lives. For several years now, our team at ISAE-SUPAERO has been developing CMOS image sensors with a number of players in the field, and innovating by proposing new architectures and conditions of use requiring studies of both elementary components and more complex structures. Measurements are carried out on transistors and diodes with the help of an under-tip tester and a parametric analyzer enabling very low current measurements (10 aA). Similarly, simple structures containing innovative pixels can be operated with the tester using spike cards coupled to a word generator specially designed for image sensors. All these studies not only contribute to our understanding of the physics of photodetection, but also provide models for our simulators. They are also used to monitor manufacturing processes during the various production phases.

DEOS

Events

French-Korean workshop: “Cryogenic hydrogen for aviation”.

Event

Research

Science

Pages

Electronics, Optronics, and Signal Processing Department (DEOS)

At ISAE SUPAERO, the Department of Electronics, Optronics and Signal Processing (DEOS) studies, designs and produces scientific instruments for aeronautics, space and defense applications, with a strong focus on advanced systems and planetary exploration missions.

DEOS

Pages

Our doctoral training

Doctoral program

Doctoral student

PhD

News

ISAE-SUPAERO announces new partnership with ESA Academy to support future Master in Aerospace Engineering students

Aerospace

Master in Aerospace Engineering

Scholarship

News

Mattéo Gouzien: itinerary of an award-winning engineer and PhD student committed to decarbonized aviation!

Mattéo Gouzien, a graduate of ISAE-SUPAERO and currently a doctoral student at IMS Bordeaux and ONERA, has been passionate about science from an early age. His remarkable academic and personal career has been guided by a relentless desire for knowledge and a quest for meaning. Winner of the SEE's André Blanc-Lapierre national prize and of the PEGASUS 2025 student conference, Mattéo talks about his rich career path: from preparatory school to his thesis on reducing aviation emissions.

Aeronautics

Ingénieur généraliste (MSc)

Portrait

News

ISAE-SUPAERO publishes an aviation and climate report

Sustainability

Teacher researcher

Videos

The sound of a Martian dust devil captured by the SuperCam microphone on Perseverance

This video and audio show the results obtained by NASA's Perseverance Mars rover and its SuperCam microphone when recording the sounds of a Martian dust devil passing overhead on 27 September 2021, the 215th Martian day or sol of the mission. The dust devil was 25 metres wide and at least 118 metres high, moving at a speed of approximately 19 km/h. This is the first time such a recording has been made, as capturing a dust devil requires a bit of luck. Indeed, it flew over the rover at a time when all of Perseverance's sensors measuring wind, pressure, temperature and dust, plus the NavigationXXX (Navcam) camera, were running. This allowed scientists to combine sounds, images and atmospheric data. The unique combination of this data, along with atmospheric modelling, enabled researchers to estimate the dimensions of the dust devil. Scientists cannot accurately predict when these vortices will occur. Rovers such as Perseverance and Curiosity monitor them regularly. When scientists notice that they are more frequent at a certain time of day or approaching from a certain direction, they focus their monitoring to try to capture a dust devil with all the sensors at their disposal. > To better understand the video, it shows three rows of images: - the row

DEOS

Researcher

Space

Videos

Discover the portrait of Paolo PANICUCCI doctoral student at ISAE-SUPAERO

Paolo has completed his thesis in the Complex Systems Engineering Department (DISC). His thesis is entitled: Navigation based on autonomous vision and shape reconstruction of an unknown asteroid during the approach phase. It is attached to the AA - Aéronautique Astronautique doctoral school. ISAE-SUPAERO hosts its doctoral students in six teams at ISAE-SUPAERO, ONERA and the Clément Ader Institute, covering a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines related to aeronautics and space: aerodynamics and propulsion, structures and materials, embedded systems, networks and telecommunications, systems control and operation, human factors, electronics and signals. ISAE-SUPAERO offers a rich and diversified doctoral training program, leading to the doctorate, the highest level diploma awarded by the institute, and recognized internationally. Link to his thesis: http://www.theses.fr/s253653

PhD

Thesis

Videos

Sophie Adenot: from ISAE-SUPAERO to space

Meet Sophie Adenot, astronaut at the European Space Agency (ESA) and ISAE-SUPAERO alumna, who answers three questions! 🚀

Alumni

Diversity program

Space

News

Meeting with Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez, elected member of the Air and Space Academy

At ISAE-SUPAERO, Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez heads SaCLaB, a research laboratory focusing on future space systems. A professor of space systems engineering, she has just been elected to the French Air and Space Academy.

Award

Space

Teacher researcher

Events

Les Assises du New Space 2025: discussions and debates on NewSpace!

The 2025 edition of the Assises du New Space will be held this year on July 8-9, 2025 at the Centre des congrès de la Villette - Cité des sciences et de l'industrie in Paris. Aimed at all players in the French space ecosystem, this event is a unique opportunity to exchange ideas and debate around NewSpace, and to discover the latest technological innovations and project financing opportunities. Registration is now open!

Conference

Event

Round table

Pages

Our Specialised Studies Certificates

Our specialised studies certificates are designed for professionals. They enable you to develop skills and expertise in the fields of digital, aeronautics, space, project management, systems engineering, and artificial intelligence.

Advanced Master

Aeronautics

Aerospace

News

Hera probe captures exceptional images of Mars and its moon Deimos

DEOS

Researcher

Science

Videos

FRENCH SUPERCAM INSTRUMENT RECORDING THE SOUND OF INGENUITY'S 4th FLIGHT

Located 80 meters from the rover at the moment of take-off, the small helicopter rose to 5 meters above the ground before covering a distance of 133 meters before returning to land where it had taken off from. SuperCam's scientific microphone, developed by ISAE-SUPAERO, recorded the sound emitted by the rotation of the Martian drone's blades during its flight. This sound has a characteristic frequency of 84 Hz, equivalent to the low “E” of a piano or the bass voice of a human being. “This is a big surprise for the whole scientific team,” says Naomi Murdoch, a researcher at ISAE-SUPAERO who is studying the data from the microphone. "Tests carried out in a Martian atmosphere simulator to design this instrument, and our theories of sound propagation, indicated that the microphone would have great difficulty picking up the sounds of the helicopter. Indeed, Mars' thin atmosphere strongly attenuates sound transmission. We needed a bit of luck to record the helicopter from such a distance. We're very pleased to have succeeded in obtaining this recording, which is proving to be a goldmine for our understanding of the Martian atmosphere". Developed jointly by ISAE-SUPAERO and a consortium of CNRS laboratories and its partners, coordinated by CNES, SuperCam's microphone is derived from a consumer model adapted to withstand the Martian environment. It pursues 3 substantial scientific and technical objectives of the Mars 2020 mission: Study the sound associated with laser impacts on Martian rocks, to gain a better understanding of their mechanical properties. Improving our understanding of atmospheric phenomena (wind turbulence, dust eddies, wind interactions with the rover, and now with the helicopter). Understanding the sound signature of the rover's various movements (robotic arm and mast operations, driving on normal or uneven ground, pump monitoring, etc.). The microphone was first switched on a few hours after Perseverance landed. It recorded the first Martian sounds generated by turbulence in the atmosphere. It is used daily in conjunction with laser rock ablation for chemical analysis of Mars. ABOUT THE MARS 2020 MISSION: NASA is relying on Caltech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the development of the Mars 2020 mission. SuperCam was developed jointly by LANL (Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA) and a consortium of laboratories attached to the CNRS, French universities and research establishments. Several Spanish universities, led by the University of Valladolid, are also contributing to the instrument. CNES is responsible to NASA for the French contribution to SuperCam. The instrument is operated alternately from LANL and the French Operations Center for Science and Exploration (FOCSE) at CNES in Toulouse.

DEOS

Researcher

Space

News

ISAE-SUPAERO's researchers are working on establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon.

While last year marked the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 17 mission, the last manned trip to the Moon, the development of ‘New Space’ has revived the space sector's interest in lunar exploration.

DCAS

Space

Pages

Support for the Development of the ISAE Group - GIFAS

GIFAS (Groupement des Industries Françaises Aéronautiques et Spatiales - French Aerospace Industries Group) supports the development of high-level academic and professional education in aerospace systems at the 6 Grandes Écoles that make up the ISAE Group (ISAE-ENSMA, ISAE-SUPMECA, ESTACA, Ecole de l'Air et de l'Espace, ENAC, ISAE-SUPAERO).

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Chair

News

HACKATHON Data Sciences: AI in action!

From February 24 to 26, forty-five students will explore three topical issues involving Artificial Intelligence (AI) during a three-day hackathon. The student teams involved will attempt to meet the challenges posed by three industrial partners on the themes of the environment, industrialization and digitization technology. ISAE-SUPAERO confirms its commitment to training in data science and artificial intelligence through its Decision and Data Sciences (DDS) course.

Artificial intelligence

Hackathon

News

CASTOR Chair: ISAE-SUPAERO and Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse celebrate 1 year of partnership

Aeronautics

Chair

Partnership

Pages

Learning, Decision, Optimisation (ADO) Scientific Group

DISC

Doctoral student

PhD

News

Ariane 6: at ISAE-SUPAERO, researchers are already working on the future

The European Ariane 6 launcher incorporates major technological innovations such as the Vinci engine, capable of reigniting in space. At ISAE-SUPAERO, researchers are tackling the challenges posed by the rocket engines of tomorrow.

Space

News

DMSM's SA-I research team wins best poster award at 14th EASN conference

Several DMSM researchers received the best poster award at the 14ᵉ EASN (European Aeronautic Science Network) conference dedicated this year to the theme “Innovation in Aviation & Sace towards sustainability today & tomorrow”!

Conference

Prize

Researcher

News

Congratulations to our eight ISAE-SUPAERO faculty members who are among the top 2% of scientists!

Stanford University recently published an updated list of the world's most influential scientists, which includes eight ISAE-Supaero faculty members.

Ranking

Teacher researcher

Pages

Communication and Information Theory (ComiT) Scientific Group

The “Communication and Information Theory” (ComiT) scientific group is involved in the disciplines of digital communications, radar, and channel access techniques. Its fields of application include space systems, civil and military aviation, terrestrial cellular networks and the Internet of Things (IoT).

DEOS

Doctoral program

Doctoral student

Pages

Languages, Arts, Cultures, and Societies Department (LACS)

At the Languages, Arts, Cultures, and Societies Department (LACS), we teach languages, interculturality, geopolitics, general culture, economics, sports, etc. Multidimensional skills that bring out knowledge, interpersonal skills, know-how and the ability to act.

LACS

PhD

Researcher

Pages

Spring Semester in Aeronautical Engineering

Immerse yourself in the world of aerospace in Toulouse, the European aerospace capital, with a semester taught in English combining excellent courses, cultural immersion, and proximity to major industrial players.

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Aerospace summer program

News

Landing on Mars: a unique experience for seven students

Seven ISAE-SUPAERO students have been selected to join the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in the United States. This replica of a Martian base will host the crew for four weeks, during which they will live in conditions similar to those found on Mars. The objective is to conduct experiments in situ in collaboration with research partners.

Space

Student club

Student life

Pages

Prior Experience Accreditation

The validation of prior experience is an individual right enshrined in the French Labor Code and Education Code. It enables candidates to obtain all - or part - of a professional certification (Diploma, Professional Title, Certificate of Professional Qualification), based on their professional, salaried or non-salaried and/or voluntary experience. This scheme can be used if the candidate is seeking personal recognition, or more generally to support a professional project that he or she wishes to put into practice.

Advanced Master

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Videos

Discover... ISAE-SUPAERO's cryogenic equipment for electrical testing

ISAE-SUPAERO - as a center for training through research, research training and innovation - has a wide range of research equipment used by its 6 research departments. Today, we present our cryogenic equipment for electrical testing! ISAE-SUPAERO's image sensor research group (CIMI) studies sensors in the visible wavelength range, but also sensors in different spectral ranges such as infrared. Detection of these longer wavelengths requires materials other than silicon for detection, combined with a silicon readout circuit for information processing, all operating at cryogenic temperature. In this context, ISAE-SUPAERO has developed electrical and electro-optical characterization benches for low-temperature microelectronic circuits, in order to extract and model their behavior and performance. These characterization benches can address both very simple circuits, such as transistors, and complex components (complete sensors) with up to 120 inputs/outputs.

DEOS

Testimonials

Testimony from Axel Coulon, student (class of 2024) of the TAS ASTRO Advanced Master®

Advanced Master

Space

Testimonial

Events

2026 edition of "Les Entretiens de Toulouse"

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Event

News

SILOE, an experimental drop tower project selected by ESA and an ESPACE grant for Alexia Duchêne

The SILOE experimental drop tower project aims to study the cohesion of planetary surfaces. This student project is supported by ESA as part of its European ‘Academy Experiments’ program. Alexia Duchêne, SILOE project leader, has been awarded a scholarship of excellence from the Fondation des Ailes de France.

DEOS

Space

Videos

Sylvestre Maurice presents the SUPERCAM / Martian Exploration educational kit

The ‘SUPERCAM - Martian Exploration’ educational kit project was initiated by five partners: ISAE-SUPAERO, the Toulouse Academy, CNRS, CNES and Cité de l'espace. Under the guidance and supervision of astrophysicist Sylvestre Maurice, first-year students at ISAE-SUPAERO developed this educational tool to raise awareness of space exploration in classrooms, from sixth form to final year. This kit is available to middle and high school teachers and can be adapted to offer educational lessons related to this theme.

Diversity program

Equal opportunities

Researcher

Pages

Photonics Antenna Microwave PlasmaA (PAMPA) Scientific Group

The “Photonics Antenna Microwave PlasmaA” (PAMPA) scientific group is interested in electromagnetism in the fields of microwaves and photonics, as well as wave-plasma interactions.

DEOS

Doctoral student

PhD

Videos

A surprise from elsewhere... from the ISS...?

Hello earth? Thomas Pesquet speaking! Thomas Pesquet, French astronaut and famous ISAE-SUPAERO alumnus (class of 2001), is currently in the ISS as part of his new Alpha mission. He sent our students a personalized message from the European laboratory Columbus...

Alumni

Diversity program

Space

Pages

Complex Systems Engineering Department (DISC)

Within ISAE-SUPAERO, the Complex Systems Engineering Department (DISC) develops skills in mathematics and computer science for aeronautical and space engineering. In both teaching and research, it focuses on the models, methods, and tools needed to control the behavior and performance of complex systems. This complexity may be induced by the multi-physics or multi-scale nature of the systems studied, their dynamic behavior, or their distributed and communicating structure.

DISC

PhD

Researcher

Pages

Applied Mathematics (MA) Scientific Group

The “Applied Mathematics” (MA) scientific group covers a wide range of topics: Stochastic processes (especially Markov processes), numerical optimization (especially multidisciplinary optimization) and parallel computing, stabilization, control and numerical solution of partial differential equations, and financial engineering.

DISC

Doctoral student

PhD

News

Mars mission simulation: a scientific experiment, a human adventure

Like nine other ISAE-SUPAERO crews before them, seven students took part in a simulation of life on Mars in the Utah desert in the United States this winter.

Space

Student club

News

Meeting with Yves Gourinat, elected as a full member of the Air and Space Academy

Yves Gourinat is a professor of structural physics in the Structural Mechanics and Materials Department (DMSM) at ISAE-SUPAERO. Already a corresponding member since 2019, he has just been elected a full member of the French Academy of Aeronautics and Space.

Aeronautics

Award

Teacher researcher

News

ISAE-SUPAERO and its talented students are once again showcasing Toulouse’s dynamism on the international stage

At ISAE-SUPAERO, talented students continue to distinguish themselves, both in the academic world and in the realm of innovation: a look back at the Amelia Earhart Award won by Elena Lopez-Contreras, a doctoral student at the Neuroergonomics Center, and at the French final of the ActInSpace hackathon, won by her team Solete for their Satell-EYE project.

DCAS

Event

Human factors

Videos

Visiting professors at ISAE-SUPAERO: DAN SCHEERES

ISAE-SUPAERO est un établissement d'enseignement supérieur axé sur la recherche et l'innovation, qui s'engage à concilier excellence scientifique, visibilité académique et proximité avec les objectifs industriels. Ses activités de recherche ont contribué à faire de l'école un leader international non seulement en termes de programme d'ingénierie aérospatiale, mais aussi de programmes de troisième cycle, notamment ses masters (MSc) et ses programmes de doctorat en sciences de l'ingénierie. C'est pourquoi de nombreux acteurs internationaux clés de la recherche rendent visite à leurs homologues de l'ISAE-SUPAERO. Nous avons rencontré Dan Sheeres, professeur émérite de l'université du Colorado et titulaire de la chaire A. Richard Seebass au département des sciences de l'ingénierie aérospatiale Ann et H.J. Smead de l'université du Colorado à Boulder. Les recherches de Dan Scheeres couvrent des sujets allant de l'astrodynamique et de la navigation spatiale à la science planétaire et à la mécanique céleste, et il a publié de nombreux articles dans ces domaines. L'astéroïde 8887 a été baptisé « Scheeres » en reconnaissance de ses contributions à la compréhension scientifique de l'environnement dynamique des astéroïdes. Pendant son séjour à l'ISAE-SUPAERO, le professeur Scheeres et l'équipe des systèmes spatiaux pour les applications planétaires ont collaboré à l'analyse des données DART et au développement de concepts visant à étudier la structure interne des astéroïdes lors de futures missions spatiales. De plus, Dan Scheeres et l'ISAE-SUPAERO ont publié conjointement plusieurs articles dans « Nature » sur les astéroïdes et la mission DART.

DEOS

Researcher

Space

News

Seven ISAE-SUPAERO students set out to conquer Mars in the Utah desert

For four weeks, seven engineering students will experience a simulation of life on Mars in the Utah desert in the United States. From 18th February to 16th March, they will conduct experiments in collaboration with CNES and several research laboratories at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS).

Space

Student club

Videos

Orbit Your Thesis: ISAE-SUPAERO in zero gravity with the AIM experiment

Artery In Microgravity (#AIM), the first student scientific experiment designed and developed in collaboration since 2018 by ISAE-SUPAERO and Polytechnique Turin, was launched on 23 November 2022 by Space X's Dragon cargo ship to the International Space Station (ISS)! Selected by the ESA as part of its ‘Orbit your thesis’ programme, AIM aims to study the behaviour of the heart and its arteries in space, in order to determine whether people with heart problems will one day be able to stay there.

Prize

Space

News

Mars hit by meteorites more often than previously thought

Two researchers from ISAE-SUPAERO contributed to new discoveries based on data from the seismometer sent to Mars during the InSight mission, one of whose main objectives was to measure seismic activity on the Red Planet.

Space

News

ISAE-SUPAERO and Spaceflight Institute join forces to train tomorrow's manned flight experts

On July 29, 2025, ISAE-SUPAERO and the Spaceflight Institute signed a partnership agreement for the joint creation of a “Certificate of Advanced Studies in Human Spaceflight”. This new semester-long program aims to train a new generation of space professionals, combining academic excellence with operational expertise.

Certificates of advanced studies

Education

Space

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Our Short Modules

Derived from the Institute's Advanced Master programmes, our short modules are aimed at professionals wishing to develop specific skills in Aeronautics, Space, Project Management, Systems Engineering, or Digital Systems.

Advanced Master

Aeronautics

Aerospace

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3 questions to... Marie-Bertille Mosnier, S-Cube member from 2018 to 2022

Meet Marie-Bertille Mosnier, member of the S-Cube - SUPAERO Space Section - ISAE-SUPAERO's experimental rocket club, from 2018 to 2022.

Space

Student club

Student life

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Our Ecosystem

Our Institute operates at the heart of a leading academic, scientific, and technological ecosystem. Driven by the strength of the ISAE SUPAERO ENSICA Alumni Association network, supported by the ISAE-SUPAERO Foundation, and enriched by EUROSAE's expertise in executive education, our actions are part of a collective dynamic within the University of Toulouse and the ISAE Group. Committed to the major challenges of tomorrow, we are developing major initiatives within the Institute for Sustainable Aviation for sustainable aviation and the Defense Space Academy to meet the strategic challenges of space.

Aerospace

Partner

Partnership

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Lasbordes Air Operations Center (COAL)

The Department of Design and Operation of Aeronautical and Space Vehicles (DCAS) is part of the Lasbordes Air Operations Center (COAL), located on an airfield a few kilometers from the ISAE-SUPAERO campus. As part of its aeronautical training and research activities, COAL operates a fleet of 8 light aircraft.

DCAS

Doctoral student

PhD

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Airbus Defence and Space and ISAE-SUPAERO train members of the Peruvian space agency

Twenty engineers from the Peruvian space agency attended a training course in Toulouse, jointly designed by ISAE-SUPAERO and Airbus Defence and Space, to develop their skills in the field of space systems and space missions.

DCAS

Short internship

Space

News

Les Assises du New Space: update of the “Ambition NewSpace 2027” report

In 2022, the Assises du NewSpace collective - a group of players representing the French space industry - published the report “Ambition NewSpace 2027”. Today, the collective is launching another major national consultation to update this report and shape the future of French space!

Conference

Round table

Space

News

ISAE-SUPAERO contributes to the Artemis IV mission with the SPSS seismology instrument

NASA selects the JPL/CNES instrument suite for the Artemis IV mission, paving the way for unprecedented exploration of the Moon’s internal structure at the South Pole.

DEOS

Exploration

Space

Events

The "Assises du NewSpace" returns on July 7 & 8, 2026!

Event

Space

News

Training new skills for the future of space: COMETES is launched!

Company

Job

Space

Pages

Job offers

Aeronautics

Aerospace

News

Let's make together a durable commitment to new horizons

Aeronautics

Horizons

Sustainability

News

RAMSES: ISAE-SUPAERO at the heart of a historic planetary defense mission

Le sismomètre SIA développé par l'ISAE-SUPAERO est une première mondiale pour explorer l'astéroïde Apophis

DEOS

Research

Space

News

Alexandre Bouraoui Takes Gold at the 2025 International Astronautical Congress

Congress

DEOS

Event

Videos

Feedback: a Latecoere engineer in the ISAE-SUPAERO laboratories

To strengthen the links between industry and research, more than 10 industrial R&D engineers have been made available to ISAE-SUPAERO as part of the France Relance plan! Cyril Geneste, research engineer at Latecoere, is one of them. Together with Miguel Charlotte, Associate Professor at the Institute, he looks back on this fruitful two-year collaboration. Their work, carried out in the ISAE-SUPAERO laboratories, focused on the behavior of aircraft door seals, which ensure cabin airtightness. Thanks to the Institute's cutting-edge equipment and academic expertise, Cyril Geneste was able in particular to carry out numerical modeling of seals in order to test their behavior. Students in their 3rdᵉ year of engineering studies were also involved in this work.

Aeronautics

Researcher

Videos

Sylvestre Maurice, astrophysicist and ISAE-SUPAERO alumnus

Awarded a prize by the Académie des Sciences in 2020, Sylvestre Maurice #astrophysicist at the Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP) in Toulouse witnessed the landing of the #Perseverance rover on Mars on February 18, 2021. A historic moment for this enthusiast, who is also the scientific manager of the onboard SuperCam instrument. A 1990 graduate of ISAE-SUPAERO, Sylvestre Maurice tells us about his career.

Alumni

Researcher

Space

News

3 questions to... Ervan Kassarian, S-Cube member from 2015 to 2017

Meet Ervan Kassarian, member of S-Cube - SUPAERO Space Section - ISAE-SUPAERO's experimental rocket club, from 2015 to 2017.

Space

Student club

Student life

Events

16th EASN International Conference

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Event

News

Focus on... quantum physics at ISAE-SUPAERO: a student journey

DEOS

Doctoral student

Ingénieur généraliste (MSc)

Videos

3 questions to Marie Delaroche, 3ᵉ year student and MDRS 293 crew commander

Since February 18, seven ISAE-SUPAERO engineering students have been living a simulated Martian life and carrying out experiments in collaboration with CNES and several research laboratories at The Mars Society's Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in UTAH (USA)! For the second time, the mission is led by a woman: Marie Delaroche, a passionate #spaceexplorer, who was already part of crew 275 departing in 2023. We asked her 3 questions to find out more about the challenges of this mission and her feelings as #flightcommander! Alongside her, three young women and three young men in their 2ᵉ year of #engineering studies have taken on the roles of astronomer, scientist, botanist, journalist, health worker and onboard engineer. They are all members of the Mars Club ISAE-SUPAERO, a student association for the popularization of science focused on the Red Planet and the missions dedicated to its exploration and study. They are currently experimenting with AI4U, the artificial intelligence that assists astronauts in their daily tasks (environmental measurements, voice recognition, emergency exercises). They are also conducting a science popularization experiment in collaboration with secondary school pupils. Inspired by the film The Martian, in which an astronaut grows potatoes on the Red Planet, the aim of this experiment is to compare plant growth in Martian soil with growth in terrestrial soil! To follow their adventure, click here: https://mars.bde-supaero.fr/

Space

Student club

Student life

News

Valentin LELOUP, quantum and optical telecommunications systems engineer: the quantum and space tandem

Valentin Leloup, R&D engineer at Thales, combines two fields of expertise: quantum physics and space. He holds an engineering degree from ISAE-SUPAERO 2022 and a Master 2 in fundamental physics and applications.

Alumni

News

Research

News

ISAE-SUPAERO is co-hosting the 16th EASN International Conference in Toulouse

ISAE-SUPAERO is pleased to host the 16th edition of the international conference organized by EASN in Toulouse from October 27 to 30, 2026, dedicated to the theme: “Innovation in Aeronautics and Space for Sustainability Today and Tomorrow.”

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Innovation

Pages

Navigation, Radar, and Remote Sensing (NAVIR² eS) Scientific Group

The “Navigation, Radar and Remonte Sensing” (NAVIR² eS) scientific group is interested in the theoretical study of information sources and hybridization approaches for autonomous vehicle navigation applications.

DEOS

Doctoral student

PhD

News

Best Scientific Paper Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 2024 Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

Six researchers from ISAE-SUPAERO, EPFL and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have been awarded the AIAA Best Scientific Paper Award for their paper “DeepGeo: Deep Geometric Mapping for Automated and Effective Parameterization in Aerodynamic Shape Optimization”.

Prize

Researcher

Scientific publication

News

Listening to the Martian past: ISAE-SUPAERO at the heart of the ExoMars mission

ESA's ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission to explore Mars will carry a unique instrument for recording sound and atmospheric data from the planet. The Institute has been selected by ESA and CNES for this major scientific collaboration.

DEOS

Researcher

Science

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DMSM at the Clément Ader Institute (ICA)

The Clément Ader Institute (UMR CNRS 5312) is the solid mechanics research laboratory for Toulouse and its region, under the aegis of the CNRS. It brings together research teams from four institutions and three ministries: the University of Toulouse III Paul Sabatier (National Education), INSA (National Education), ISAE-SUPAERO (Defense), and the École des Mines d'Albi (Industry). These institutions are located in three cities in Midi-Pyrénées: Toulouse, Albi, and Tarbes.

DMSM

Doctoral student

PhD

Videos

ISAE-SUPAERO and Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology work on student space exploration projects

ISAE-SUPAERO received a visit from Professor Shine S R of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) on December 7 and 8. ISAE-SUPAERO signed a co #cooperation agreement with the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology in 2020 and this visit was a perfect opportunity to discuss the deepening of #training and #research collaborations between our two institutions. ISAE-SUPAERO and IIST have already been cooperating for 4 years within the framework of Franco-Indian collaborative academic projects, involving students from ISAE-SUPAERO and IIST on subjects related to space exploration missions and with the participation of experts from CNES, IRAP and the Indian space agency (ISRO)!

Space

News

ICCAS 2026, jointly organized by ISAE-SUPAERO, the ISAE-SUPAERO Foundation, and Dassault Aviation, will take place on June 11-12, 2026.

Following the success of the 2022 and 2024 editions, we are delighted to announce 𝐈𝐂𝐂𝐀𝐒 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, organized jointly by ISAE-SUPAERO, the ISAE-SUPAERO Foundation, and Dassault Aviation!

Aeronautics

Artificial intelligence

Aviation

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Mechanics of Structures and Materials Department (DMSM)

The Mechanics of Structures and Materials Department is responsible for organizing and supervising all teaching activities in deformable solid mechanics for ISAE-SUPAERO training courses, in synergy with upstream and applied research activities on aeronautical materials and structures. This strong interaction between teaching and research is the foundation of our department's organization.

DMSM

PhD

Researcher

News

Researchers from ISAE-SUPAERO contributed to the success of the first images from ESA's Sentinel 2c observation satellite.

The Sentinel 2c Earth observation satellite, launched on 5 September as part of ESA's Copernicus mission, has delivered its first images. This success is partly due to the image sensor research team (CIMI) at ISAE-SUPAERO, which designed and oversaw the manufacture of the visible image sensors.

DEOS

Space

Testimonials

Testimony of Juan-Carlos DOLADO-PEREZ, alumni of the 2008 Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering

Alumni

Space

Testimonial

News

An exceptional scholarship for an innovative project

Naomi Murdoch, a researcher in physics and planetology at ISAE-SUPAERO, has just been awarded the prestigious Consolidator Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) for her planetary body study project called GRAVITE. This ambitious scientific project aims to design a variable gravity machine that will enable the simulation and study of extraterrestrial soils.

DEOS

Scholarship

Space

Videos

SUPERCAM Educational Kits / Martian Exploration: Students at the controls of the kits

Follow ISAE-SUPAERO students as they create educational kits, a digital educational tool designed to raise awareness of space exploration that can be used in classrooms from Year 7 to Year 13.

Diversity program

Equal opportunities

Space

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Listening to the Martian past: ISAE-SUPAERO at the heart of the ExoMars mission

Last Updated On 21 July 2025

The ExoMars mission is a European Space Agency (ESA) programme to explore Mars for signs of past life. Planned for 2028, the mission will involve the Rosalind Franklin rover, designed to analyse the Martian surface for biosignatures and to understand variations in the aqueous and geochemical environment of Mars. This programme represents a crucial step in the search for extraterrestrial life and in understanding the evolution of our solar system.

Researchers from ISAE-SUPAERO’s Space Systems for Planetology and Applications research group are contributing to the development of instruments for collecting atmospheric data and sound during the mission’s entry, descent and landing phases. This expertise is recognised by the Institute.

A key mission for the future of Mars exploration

ESA, CNES and six French laboratories and universities are in charge of various instruments and instrumental contributions on the Rosalind Franklin rover, which will have 8 pieces of equipment on board and a drill.

ISAE-SUPAERO will develop PACIS (Platform Atmospheric Characterization Instrumentation Suite), located on the landing platform and designed to measure sound, pressure and temperature during the critical entry, descent and landing phases of the ExoMars probe. The PACIS microphone and atmospheric instruments will contribute to our understanding of the atmosphere and environment on Mars by collecting unique data during descent and after arrival.

Funded by ESA and CNES, this project is being carried out in partnership with the University of Padova and the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) and marks a further step in ISAE-SUPAERO’s commitment to scientific excellence and innovation in the service of space. All these elements will be an essential prerequisite for the success of the next stages in the exploration of the Red Planet.

Planetary acoustics, expertise made in ISAE-SUPAERO

This new scientific collaboration in space is based on ISAE-SUPAERO’s heritage in the field of planetary missions, and in particular its contribution to the Perseverance rover on NASA’s Mars2020 mission. The Martian microphone, integrated on Perseverance’s SuperCam instrument, designed and developed by a team of researchers from the Institute in cooperation with IRAP (Institut de recherche en astrophysique et planétologie) and CNES, paved the way for a new approach to Martian exploration by inaugurating a new science, planetary acoustics. “The instrument developed for ExoMars embodies our ability to innovate in response to the most complex challenges of space exploration”, emphasises David Mimoun, Deputy Director of Research.

"ISAE-SUPAERO has made a significant contribution to the development of some fifteen space missions in the past or in development.

David Mimoun Deputy Director of Research at ISAE-SUPAERO

Cutting-edge research guarantees top-level space training

This project promotes the close synergy between research and education at ISAE-SUPAERO. The work that led to this selection by the ESA is the fruit of cutting-edge research carried out in the Institute’s laboratories in close collaboration with teaching. This approach guarantees high-level training in the space sector, both in the Earth Observation and Universe Sciences stream of the engineering curriculum and in the various courses in the Space sector. Students benefit directly from the technological and methodological advances developed for missions such as ExoMars.

Space training at ISAE SUPAERO

ISAE-SUPAERO engineer

Master 2 Advanced Communication Systems (ACS)

Specialised Master in Space Applications and Services (SPAPS)

Space Imaging, Navigation and Communication major in the Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering

Hera probe captures exceptional images of Mars and its moon Deimos

Last Updated On 21 July 2025

Exceptional images of Mars and Deimos

On 12 March, the Hera probe completed a key stage in its mission with a close flyby of Mars. By exploiting the gravitational assistance of the Red Planet, it gained speed and adjusted its trajectory to continue its journey towards the Didymos binary system.

Although not essential to the main mission, this close encounter represents a valuable scientific opportunity. Several on-board instruments were activated to observe Mars and its moon Deimos, located less than 1,000 km away.

Hera has sent us some exceptional images from the farthest reaches of space, and we have asked our scientists involved in the Hera and Perseverance space missions to make a selection of them and comment on them.

View of Mars taken by the Asteroid Framing Camera

” In this image from Hera, acquired with the Asteroid Framing Camera, we can see the geologically varied surface of Mars, including the icy poles and the distinct differences between the northern and southern hemispheres.

Mars has a surprisingly complex environment, including a tenuous atmosphere containing clouds and sometimes even dust storms.

At ISAE-SUPAERO, we are studying Mars’ atmosphere as part of NASA’s Perseverance mission. As Hera flew over Mars, the Perseverance mission used its cameras and meteorological instruments to observe the sky and help interpret what Hera can see from orbit.”

Alexander Stott, researcher in the SSPA team at ISAE-SUPAERO and co-leader of the NASA Perseverance atmospheric science working group.

Credits : ESA

To find out more about the work of ISAE-SUPAERO’s Space Systems in Planetology & Applications research group for the Perseverance mission: https: //www.isae-supaero.fr/fr/actualites/pour-ecouter-les-premiers-sons-de-la-planete-mars-le-rover-perseverance/

Mars and Deimos seen by Hera's TIRI

” Hera has a pair of visible cameras (AFC), a hyperspectral imager (HyperScout) and a thermal imager (TIRI), all of which will be used to study the properties and characteristics of the binary asteroid system.

This image shows Deimos and Mars as seen by the thermal imager (TIRI). The images of Mars and Deimos will be used to calibrate the various instruments and enable the Hera team to prepare for the probe’s arrival in the binary asteroid system (Didymos – Dimorphos) at the end of next year.

In the SSPA team, we have been analysing data from NASA’s DART mission since 2022 and we are looking forward to studying asteroids in even greater detail using data from the Hera mission.”

Alexia Duchêne, PhD student in the SSPA team at ISAE-SUPAERO and member of the Hera scientific team

Credits: ESA/JAXA

To find out more about the work of ISAE-SUPAERO’s Space Systems in Planetology & Applications research group for the DART mission: https: //www.isae-supaero.fr/fr/actualites/dart-des-etudiants-de-l-isae-supaero-publient-de-nouveaux-resultats/

Mars and Deimos seen by Hera's Hyperscout H

” This image, taken with Hera’s HyperScout instrument, shows Deimos – the smaller (12 km) of the two Martian moons – passing directly in front of Mars. Deimos has a very dark surface compared with that of Mars. Hera’s images of Deimos will contribute to our knowledge of these small bodies. We still don’t know where the moons of Mars come from or how they formed. This is a major scientific question that will be addressed by the future Japanese mission Martian Moons eXploration (MMX).

The IDEFIX rover, developed by France and Germany as part of the MMX mission, will even attempt to land and travel on the surface of Phobos (Mars’ largest moon)! The Hera and MMX teams are working closely together to ensure that these images of the Martian moons taken by Hera provide as much information as possible to help with the preparations for the MMX mission“.

Naomi Murdoch, planetary scientist in the SSPA team at ISAE-SUPAERO and member of the DART, Hera and MMX scientific teams.

To find out more about the work of ISAE-SUPAERO’s Space Systems in Planetology & Applications research group for the MMX (Martian Moon eXploration) mission: https: //www.isae-supaero.fr/fr/actualites/mmx-idefix-r-et-des-cameras-pour-comprendre-la-lune-de-mars/

Mars and Deimos seen by Hera's Asteroid Framing Camera

” These images, taken by Hera’s visible camera (AFC), show the small dark Martian moon, Deimos (12 km), passing in front of Mars. Hera captured these images at a distance of around 1000 km from Deimos.

We are observing a side of Deimos that is rarely visible, which means that we are discovering parts of a planetary surface that have never been seen before. Behind Deimos, we can see the cratered surface of Mars.

In the lower right-hand corner of the image, we can make out the Hellas basin, one of the largest known impact craters in the Solar System – with a diameter of 2,300 km and a depth of more than 7 km.”

Jeanne Bigot, PhD student in the SSPA team at ISAE-SUPAERO and member of the Hera and DART scientific teams.

Credits: ESA

Focus on… quantum physics in ISAE-SUPAERO training courses

Last Updated On 21 July 2025

"The foundations in quantum physics offered at ISAE-SUPAERO enable students who wish to do so to delve deeper into the discipline and pursue more advanced training".

Sébastien Massenot

Sébastien Massenot is a teacher-researcher in physics at ISAE-SUPAERO, in charge of the fundamental physics courses in the General Engineering curriculum.
An introduction to quantum physics is included in this curriculum from the first year core curriculum, and elective modules allow students to delve deeper into this discipline.
Students who wish to do so can continue with additional training to add a more or less strong quantum coloration to their engineering degree, a speciality sought after by many industrialists.

What role does quantum physics play in the teaching at ISAE-SUPAERO?

“An introductory course in quantum physics is offered as part of the core curriculum of the General Engineering course at ISAE-SUPAERO. This theory is also taught in statistical physics in the first year and in thermal physics in the second year. Several elective courses are also offered: in-depth modules (lasers / particle physics) and two modules directly linked to the second quantum revolution (quantum engineering / quantum computing).

These foundations give students a fairly global view of quantum physics and allow those who so wish to complete their training with a double degree: the Institut has a host agreement with the M2 in fundamental physics, quantum engineering and condensed matter at the Université Paul-Sabatier in the third year, as well as double degree agreements with ENS Paris-Saclay and ESPCI, for example.

The Institute is a forerunner in this field, since the elective quantum engineering module has been offered for two decades by our temporary employee and colleague Christian Joachim.

Why is it so important to train engineers in quantum physics?

“The current craze and the very rapid development of quantum technologies mean that, either in the short or long term, many engineers will be confronted with quantum physics during their careers. Having received prior training in this area will be a major advantage. For example, in the space sector, Thalès Alenia Space in Toulouse has a team of engineers dedicated to developing secure quantum satellite communications systems.

Another crucial aspect is on a more personal level: understanding thought in the “quantum world” is not intuitive compared with the macroscopic world we experience every day. It requires us to take a step back, which is also very instructive.

How do you approach quantum physics with 1ʳᵉ year students?

“In addition to the theoretical courses on offer, quantum physics is also broken down experimentally. A polarisation-intruded photon experiment, a simplified replica adapted for students of the experiment by Alain Aspect, who will be awarded the Nobel Prize in 2022, was developed in 2015 in close collaboration with colleagues at the Université Paul-Sabatier.

This experiment is offered as part of the experimental practice activities (20 hours that enable the various aspects of the experiment to be detailed) or as part of the elective quantum engineering module. It aims to illustrate the experimental preparation of a two-photon quantum state and its measurement, and to make a comparison with theoretical predictions.This gives students a much more hands-on approach to the subject.

“What is quantum physics?

Quantum physics was developed in the 20th century to account for many observations on a microscopic scale that could not be explained by the theories of classical mechanics or electromagnetism. It has also enabled many verifiable and verified predictions to be made about the properties of matter and radiation on all scales (from elementary particles to astrophysics).

The technological and industrial developments that emerged from this theory in the 20th century have led to considerable advances in fields such as microelectronics, computing, telecommunications, imaging and medicine, to name but a few. By way of illustration, more than a third of the US GDP comes from direct applications of this discipline!

For several decades, many laboratories and industrial players have been interested in developing new applications based on controlling the properties of a single or a few individual quantum particles. Quantum theory predicts that a single particle can be described by several states simultaneously (superposition) and that two particles that have interacted in the past will retain a ‘link’, regardless of the distance separating them (entanglement).

Although not intuitive in a classical framework, these properties have been verified experimentally and can be used to improve the sensitivity of many sensors (accelerometers, gravimeters, etc.), the security of communications, and to accelerate calculations using quantum computers.

The development of these new applications, which we are currently witnessing, is known as the “second quantum revolution”. To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the United Nations has declared 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.

Research

Last Updated On 23 September 2025

Our scientific activities cover a broad spectrum of strategic themes, closely linked to the major challenges facing the aerospace sector. Supported by our research departments, our activities combine academic excellence, technological innovation, and responses to industrial and societal challenges. Thanks to our complementary approach and our openness to interdisciplinarity, the Institute is positioned as a major player in French and international research.

Our research policy is resolutely focused on the technological challenges of tomorrow, in response to the emerging needs of the aerospace and high technology industries. This dynamic approach is underpinned by close collaboration with industry, through sponsorship agreements in strategic areas, and the active participation of a large number of professionals in teaching, who pass on the latest innovations and best practices in the sector.

Research at ISAE-SUPAERO

International

ISAE-SUPAERO's research contributes to its position as an international leader for its general engineering curriculum, its post-graduate courses, in particular Master's degree in aerospace engineering (MAE), Advanced Master® and doctorate (PhD) programmes.

Interdiscplinary

We combine an interdisciplinary approach with advanced research into scientific knowledge, models, methodological approaches, and tools for the design of aeronautical, space and embedded systems, from the expression of requirements and specifications through to verification and validation (V&V) or qualification with planned future certification.

Innovative

ISAE-SUPAERO's scientific strategy addresses the societal and industrial challenges of sustainable development and the performance of aerospace systems, including issues of safety, security, resilience, competitiveness, (digital) virtualisation, new technologies, processes, services or innovative concepts.

ISAE-SUPERO's research activity has developed considerably in recent years.

The Institute's laboratories employ around 400 people.
The campus is also home to ONERA's Toulouse research centre, which also has 400 employees.

The ISAE-SUPAERO and ONERA laboratories cover a wide range of activities and disciplines related to aeronautics and space - from aerodynamics to neuroergonomics to the development of new technologies in
electronics, signal processing, and structural mechanics. Nearly 300 doctoral students are enrolled at ISAE-SUPAERO.

The ISAE-SUPAERO laboratories are open to all our students. The campus has been designed to combine research and teaching areas, and to ensure that students have easy and permanent access to researchers.

Our campus is also adjacent to that of Paul Sabatier University and major CNRS laboratories such as LAAS and the Midi-Pyrénées Observatory - partners that offer many opportunities for discovery or work placements for our students who are interested in research.

Of the 130 permanent teaching staff at ISAE-SUPAERO, 120 are also researchers.

The general engineering curriculum includes extensive exposure to research. In the second year, our faculty offer students research placements in the school's laboratories or those of our partners in Toulouse.

Some teaching activities, such as Experimental Practice' in the first year or practical work as part of elective or third-year courses, also take place in research laboratories. Our doctoral students are also on hand to give lectures and tutorials.

For students who are interested in doing a thesis, a 'research pathway' has been set up, which allows them to adjust their schooling and spread their third year over two years, so that they can do work placements in several laboratories, particularly abroad, before starting their thesis.

Our engineering students can also take a research-oriented Master's degree during their third year, with courses that allow them to combine a general engineering degree with a Master's degree in fields such as the sciences of the universe or operational research. As a result, around 15% of our students go on to do a PhD, either with us or in other laboratories in France or abroad.

SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AND RESEARCH: ISAE-SUPAERO is a signatory to the National Charter of Ethics for Research Professionals, which governs research activities to ensure that they are honest and rigorous

5 Strategic Priorities

ISAE-SUPAERO’s scientific policy for aeronautical and space systems is organised into 5 strategic areas:

Integrated design for aerospace system performance, operational safety, and the environment
Models and optimisation for energy efficiency, the environment, and competitiveness
Earth observation, environmental monitoring, and space exploration
Resilient telecommunications, networks, and connected cyber-physical systems
Data analysis, decision sciences, and mastering complexity

6 Research Departments

As part of its missions and under the aegis of its Research Council, ISAE-SUPAERO and its 6 departments, carries out its scientific strategy in two research units (laboratories evaluated by the HCERES):

ISAE-SUPAERO Research, a multidisciplinary laboratory and the Institute’s own unit
Institut Clément Ader (ICA) UMR n°5312 of the CNRS, a solid mechanics laboratory in the Midi-Pyrénées region under the supervision of the CNRS, UT3, INSA, MINES-ALBI, and ISAE-SUPAERO

and with the support of 6 doctoral schools in the Toulouse area, in particular the Aeronautics and Astronautics Doctoral School (EDAA), of which ISAE-SUPAERO is the supporting institution.

ISAE-SUPAERO leads scientific, disciplinary, or cross-disciplinary themes, as well as cross-disciplinary research and innovation actions (ATRI), which are extended into national scientific interest groups: the 'Microdrones' and 'Centre Spatial Universitaire Toulousain' GISs.

LACS research is housed in the LISST and LAIRDIL laboratories at UT2 Jean Jaurès, which are evaluated separately.

ISAE-SUPAERO's partnership with ONERA and ENAC is a key element of the higher education and research cluster dedicated to the 'aeronautics and space' sector on the Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées Federal University site.

OPEN SCIENCE: ISAE-SUPAERO'S SCIENCE AVAILABLE TO ALL

Discover OPEN SCIENCE: Our new open archive platform.

Anyone can access our theses, publications, scientific instruments, and technological platforms.

Discover ISAE-SUPAERO's 4 commitments to Open Science!

Further Information

Find out more about our six research departments: DEOS, DCAS, DISC, DAEP, DMSM, and LACS.

DEOS

The Electronics, Optronics, and Signal Processing Department (DEOS) develops and produces payloads for tomorrow's advanced aeronautical and space applications. The skills of its teams cover a wide range of technologies, from the design of silicon sensors to interplanetary scientific payloads, and from signal theory studies to advanced communication and navigation systems.

Further Information

DCAS

The Aerospace Vehicle Design and Operation Department (DCAS) develops methods, simulation tools, and experimental platforms for the design and operation of aerospace vehicles.

Further Information

DISC

The Department of Complex Systems Engineering (DISC) develops skills in mathematics and computer science for aeronautical and space engineering. In both teaching and research, it focuses on the models, methods, and tools needed to control the behaviour and performance of complex systems. This complexity may be induced by the multi-physics or multiscale nature of the systems studied, their dynamic behaviour, or their distributed and communicating structure.

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DAEP

The Aerodynamics and Propulsion Department: 62 people, 30 research projects, including 5 on a European scale, an exceptional fleet of test facilities for teaching and research purposes, 3 research groups contributing to a growth strategy focused on 4 themes with topical scientific and social-economic challenges, supported by 2 structuring projects: the SAA wind tunnel and the IC3 large-scale simulation code.

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DMSM

The role of the Structures and Materials Mechanics Department is to organise and supervise all teaching activities in the mechanics of deformable solids for ISAE-SUPAERO courses, in synergy with upstream and applied research activities on aeronautical materials and structures. This strong interaction between teaching and research is the basis of our department's organisation.

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LACS

In the Languages, Arts, Cultures, and Societies Department, we teach languages, interculturality, geopolitics, general culture, economics, sport... Multi-dimensional skills that bring out knowledge, interpersonal skills, know-how and interpersonal skills.

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Research at ISAE-SUPAERO

Electronics, Optronics, and Signal Processing Department (DEOS)

At ISAE SUPAERO, the Department of Electronics, Optronics and Signal Processing (DEOS) studies, designs and produces scientific instruments for aeronautics, space and defense applications, with...

Design and Operation of Aerospace Vehicles Department (DCAS)

At ISAE-SUPAERO, the Design and Operation of Aerospace Vehicles Department (DCAS) develops methods, simulation tools and experimental platforms for the design and operation of aerospace...

Aerodynamics, Energetics, and Propulsion Department (DAEP)

At ISAE SUPAERO, the Aerodynamics, Energetics, and Propulsion Department has a staff of 62, 30 research projects including 5 on a European scale, an exceptional...

Mechanics of Structures and Materials Department (DMSM)

The Mechanics of Structures and Materials Department is responsible for organizing and supervising all teaching activities in deformable solid mechanics for ISAE-SUPAERO training courses, in...

Complex Systems Engineering Department (DISC)

Within ISAE-SUPAERO, the Complex Systems Engineering Department (DISC) develops skills in mathematics and computer science for aeronautical and space engineering. In both teaching and research,...

Languages, Arts, Cultures, and Societies Department (LACS)

Institute for Sustainable Aviation

Created in 2021 on the initiative of internationally renowned academic institutions with longstanding academic expertise in aeronautics and air transport, the ISA is an institute...

Scientific and Research Integrity

ISAE-SUPAERO is one of the signatories of the National Charter of Ethics for Research Professions, adopted in January 2015 by the Conference of University Presidents...

Professional pages for teachers-researchers

Testimony from Yves Gourinat, elected full member of the Air and Space Academy

Last Updated On 01 September 2025

Meeting with Yves Gourinat, elected full member of the Académie de l'Air et de l'Espace

– Yves Gourinat is a professor of structural physics in the Structures and Materials Mechanics Department (DMSM) at ISAE-SUPAERO.
– Already a corresponding member since 2019, he has just been elected a full member of the Académie de l’Air et de l’Espace.

Key dates

1984: Graduates from ENSMA - Engineering degree and DEA, Mechanics & Materials
1985: Graduates from Supaéro - Masters specialising in Aerospace Mechanics and Space, followed by National Service at Supaero
1986: Engineer in industry (Aerospatiale Avions) to do a doctoral thesis (defended in 1989) and take part in the A340 programme (composites)
1993: Associate Professor at Ensica, hired to set up a Space programme
2003: Joins Supaéro as Professor of Structural Mechanics in the Department of Structural Mechanics and Materials (DMSM)
2007: Obtains his HDR (Habilitation to Supervise Research) in Solid Mechanics, Structures, Materials and Surfaces at the University of Poitiers
2011: Qualified as a University Professor by the Conseil National des Universités (French National University Council)
2012: Becomes Director of the Aeronautics-Astronautics Doctoral School (until 2016)
2013: Appointed Deputy Director of the Institut Clément-Ader, Head of the Aeronautical and Space Structures Advanced Master® programme and Head of the Mechanics of Structures and Materials Department at ISAE-SUPAERO (until 2018)
2024: Elected full member of the Académie de l'Air et de l'Espace

Passionate about music from an early age, Yves Gourinat was not predestined for a career in the sciences.

It was at the age of 7 that he discovered his passion for aeronautics: “When I saw the picture of Concorde, I said to myself, that’s what I want to do”. At the time, his love of physics was “completely inseparable from his love of music”, and after completing his studies at the Conservatoire, he continued to pursue both at the same time until he was 19.

“A true enthusiast” is how he defines himself. After hesitating between music and physics, it was physics that finally won out professionally.

This “free electron”, who came from the conservatoire and university, passed the ENSI competitive entrance exam (now the Concours Commun Polytechniques) and entered the ENSMA, from which he graduated in 1984, with a major in Materials.

A career in three vocations

A vocation for teaching

First of all, a vocation for teaching. He owes this in particular to Didier Bellet, professor of mechanics at Supaéro, “an extraordinary personality”, who took him under his wing as an assistant for a year as part of his national service.

It was during this period that his first opportunity arose, the year he turned 25: “He phoned me up one Sunday to say, ‘I’ve got flu, can you do my lecture for me tomorrow?

The first lecture was given and the wheels were set in motion!

“I really enjoy giving lectures because for me it’s theatrical improvisation. I arrive at a lecture without any notes and that’s what fascinates the students! My main accessory is a pair of glasses. Improvisation is very important, it’s the legacy of the Conservatoire and the organ!”

After obtaining his ENSMA engineering diploma and his doctoral thesis at SUPAERO, he joined Airbus in 1990 (formerly Aérospatial Division Avions) and stayed there for 4 years as Composite Structures Engineer on the A340.

A turn in space

In 1994, he flew to Russia for 6 weeks for a SOYOUZ-MIR training course at Star City (a childhood dream).

At the same time, he went back to school and became an associate professor at ENSICA, helping to set up a Space department alongside Pierre Sintes, for whom he was already doing some vacation work: He worked with him for 10 years on launcher dynamics and manned flight safety.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if he hadn’t hired me. I owe my vocation in space to him.”

At ISAE-SUPAERO, “telling the science story”

It was finally in 2003 that he returned to SUPAERO to replace Serge Larose – with whom he had established an “old tradition” by replacing him in the lecture hall whenever the opportunity arose – as associate professor.

But also to follow the advice of his first mentor, Didier Bellet (“You have to do research”), by becoming Director of Research, after passing his HDR (Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches) in 2007.

“Scientific research is a permanent transgression: You have to go where others don’t go”.

Since 2008, Yves Gourinat has been head of the Advanced Master® in Aeronautical and Space Structures. He is also Associate Professor of Structural Mechanics in the Department of Structural Mechanics and Materials, teaches biophysics at the Université Paul-Sabatier and also lectures at the University of Texas at Arligton.

In 2011, the International Astronautical Federation awarded him the Malina Astronautics Medal, a worldwide medal awarded each year to a single individual, in recognition of scientific and educational commitment to the service of Space.

A vocation for aeronautics

Today, the physicist is fully devoted to his vocation for aeronautics, through his courses and his research into his areas of application: cryogenic tanks, living cells and the thermodynamics of hulls. Teaching, the common thread running through his career, remains at the heart of his commitment, as he is currently supervising four PhD students… bringing to 24 the number of PhD students he has supervised throughout his career!

Recognition for a brilliant career

Invited to all Academy meetings since 2015, Yves Gourinat was elected a corresponding member of the Académie de l’Air et de l’Espace in 2019. He joins various working groups on aircraft certification to provide a link between the Academy and the school’s national and international aerospace activities.

Five years later, this emeritus member, who was already active in several learned societies including 3AF, was appointed titular member, and was happy to take on “more responsibilities and duties to honour the Institute and enhance its prestige”.

He will be officially introduced on 6 December 2024 alongside Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez, recently elected corresponding member, at the Salle des Illustres in Toulouse’s Capitole building!

Meeting with Yves Gourinat, elected as a full member of the Air and Space Academy

Last Updated On 16 July 2025

Meeting with Yves Gourinat

Key dates

1984: Graduated from ENSMA – Engineering degree and DEA, Mechanics & Materials
1985: Graduates from Supaéro – Masters specialising in Aerospace Mechanics and Space, followed by National Service at Supaero
1986: Engineer in industry (Aerospatiale Avions) to do a doctoral thesis (defended in 1989) and take part in the A340 programme (composites)
1993: Associate Professor at Ensica, hired to set up a Space programme
2003: joins Supaéro as Professor of Structural Mechanics in the Department of Structural Mechanics and Materials (DMSM)
2007: obtains his HDR (Habilitation to Supervise Research) in Solid Mechanics, Structures, Materials and Surfaces at the University of Poitiers
2011: qualified as a University Professor by the Conseil National des Universités (French National University Council)
2012: becomes Director of the Aeronautics-Astronautics Doctoral School (until 2016)
2013: appointed Deputy Director of the Institut Clément-Ader, Head of the Aeronautical and Space Structures Specialised Masters® programme and Head of the Mechanics of Structures and Materials Department at ISAE-SUPAERO (until 2018)
2024: elected full member of the Académie de l’Air et de l’Espace

Yves Gourinat has been passionate about music ever since he was a child, but he was not predestined for a career in the sciences.

“A true enthusiast” is how he defines himself. After hesitating between music and physics, it was physics that finally won out professionally.

This “free electron”, who came from the conservatoire and university, took the competitive entrance exam for ENSI (now known as the Concours Commun Polytechniques) and entered ENSMA, graduating in 1984 as top of his class in Materials.

A career in three vocations

It was during this period that his first opportunity arose, the year he turned 25: “He phoned me up one Sunday to say, ‘I’ve got flu, can you do my lecture for me tomorrow?”

The first lecture was given and the wheels were set in motion!

“I really enjoy giving lectures, because for me it’s theatrical improvisation. I arrive at a lecture without any notes and that’s what fascinates the students! My main accessory is a pair of glasses. Improvisation has a big part to play, it’s the heritage of the Conservatoire, and of the Organ!”

A turn in space

In 1994, he flew to Russia for 6 weeks for a SOYOUZ-MIR training course at Star City (a childhood dream).

At the same time, he went back to school and became an associate professor at ENSICA, helping to set up a Space department alongside Pierre Sintes, for whom he was already doing some vacation work: he worked with him for 10 years on launcher dynamics and manned flight safety.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if he hadn’t hired me. I owe my vocation in space to him.”

At ISAE-SUPAERO, “telling the science story”

But also to follow the advice of his first mentor, Didier Bellet (“You have to do research”), by becoming director of research, after passing his HDR – Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches – in 2007.

“Scientific research is a permanent transgression: you have to go where others don’t go”.

Since 2008, Yves Gourinat has been head of the Specialised Masters® in Aeronautical and Space Structures. He is also Associate Professor of Structural Mechanics in the Department of Structural Mechanics and Materials, teaches biophysics at the Université Paul-Sabatier and also lectures at the University of Texas at Arligton.

Today, the physicist is fully devoted to his vocation for aeronautics, through his courses and research into his areas of application: cryogenic tanks, living cells and hull thermodynamics. Teaching, the common thread running through his career, remains at the heart of his commitment, as he is currently supervising four PhD students… bringing to 24 the number of PhD students he has supervised throughout his career!

Recognition for a brilliant career

He will be officially introduced on 6 December 2024 alongside Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez, recently elected corresponding member, in the Salle des Illustres at the Capitole in Toulouse!

Testimony from Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez, elected member of the Air and Space Academy

Last Updated On 01 September 2025

Meet Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez, elected to the Académie de l'Air et de l'Espace

– At ISAE-SUPAERO, Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez heads up SaCLaB, a research laboratory on the space systems of the future.
– A professor of space systems engineering, she has just been elected to the Académie de l’Air et de l’Espace.
– This is recognition by her peers of a brilliant and atypical career in the service of a passion: space exploration.

Key dates

1971: Born in Toulon (Var).
1995: Graduates from Supaéro (S1995).
2008: Working for Altran Technologies, part of the team of engineers operating the Jules Verne cargo ship, the first ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle).
2009: Joins ISAE-SUPAERO as a lecturer in space systems engineering.
2015: Defends her doctoral thesis on "Optimisation of operational scenarios for crew rotations and refuelling of the cargo of an international station at the L2 Lagrange point of the Earth-Moon system" as part of a joint ISAE-SUPAERO / University of Stuttgart degree programme.
2017: Takes charge of SaCLaB, a research laboratory on advanced space systems, as part of a sponsorship chair with Airbus and ArianeGroup.
2022: Obtains her Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches, awarded by the University of Toulouse, on "Rendez-vous spatial: De l'orbite terrestre à l'environnement cis-lunaire".
2024: Elected Correspondent of the Académie de l'Air et de l'Espace.

Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez describes her career as “atypical”. But there is one thing that remains constant: Her burning passion for space.

This passion finds fertile ground in his native Provence, “where shooting stars are so bright”. And the Nice Observatory, the subject of a school trip at primary school. On her return, the schoolgirl couldn’t stop wondering about the Universe… and drawing her thirst for knowledge from books. “There was a mobile library that passed through the village where I lived. I used to borrow all the books on science. I was particularly struck by a story about Marie Curie told by her daughter. It was at that moment that she made her decision: She too would become a scientist. But in the field of space.

During her secondary education, she heard about Supaéro. The École Nationale Supérieure de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace in Toulouse became her goal. During her preparatory studies at the Lycée Thiers in Marseille, she met an “exceptional” maths teacher who encouraged her to go down this path. A teacher who would later become… that of Arnaud Prost, another ISAE-SUPAERO alumnus and current ESA reserve astronaut.

"Astronauts in jeans"

Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez passed the Supaéro entrance exam in 1992 and obtained her engineering degree in 1995. After working in mechanical and automation engineering at Aerospatiale les Mureaux (now ArianeGroup) and Matra Marconi Space (now Airbus Defence and Space), she joined Altran Technologies, where she stayed for 13 years.

One experience made a particular impression on her: “In 2008, I was part of the team of vehicle engineers in charge of developing and piloting the first ATV, a cargo spacecraft developed by ESA to supply the ISS.” We were known as the “astronauts in jeans”! I flew the first ATV from CNES in Toulouse. It was fantastic. I had five screens in front of me and I had to stay focused while bottles of champagne were being opened all around me!

That same year, she applied for the ESA astronaut selection process, during which another Supaéro alumnus, Thomas Pesquet, was chosen. Fate took her elsewhere: “My former professor at Supaéro, Bénédicte Escudier, contacted me about a teaching position in Systems Engineering at ISAE-SUPAERO. I thought, why not?”

From space rendezvous to advanced space systems

In her new role, she has discovered a passion for teaching, and in particular for supporting students. She found “the human side that was missing when I was an engineer”. At the same time, she began a doctoral thesis on space rendezvous – when two vehicles reduce their distance to become one – with a double degree from ISAE-SUPAERO and the University of Stuttgart. “It was interesting for me to discover the theory after having dealt with this subject operationally as an engineer”. After defending her thesis in 2015, she began supervising doctoral and post-doctoral students. She is also responsible for the Advanced Master® TAS Astro.

Her colleagues describe her as a teacher and professor who is very present and attentive. “She is very welcoming and, despite her busy schedule, she always finds time for her students and her colleagues,” notes Spencer Boone, a post-doctoral student in space mechanics. “After Covid, I was struggling to find a work placement. She opened the doors of her lab to me and we worked on my internship topic together,” says Augustin Gallois, now a PhD student under her supervision. Francesco Sanfedino, a lecturer and researcher in space systems control in his laboratory, remembers his years as a student engineer at ISAE-SUPAERO: “Stéphanie gave us the great opportunity to work on a research project based on a CubeSat. At the time, we knew nothing about the research environment, but our paper was selected for an international conference. It opened doors for me and my partner”.

Researching the future and under-explored subjects

In 2017, as part of a sponsorship chair with Airbus and ArianeGroup, Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez took over as head of SaCLaB (Space Advanced Concepts Laboratory), “a research laboratory on advanced space systems, along the lines of what is done in major American universities”. The laboratory is looking at orbital systems, future space transportation and robotic and manned space exploration in a future of more than 15 years (see box below).

The team works “on major international programmes and our research is funded by organisations such as ESA, CNES and groups like ADS and Thales”, explains Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez. But we are also working on subjects that are rarely tackled. “Stéphanie is one of the few specialists in space mechanics in France,” says Spencer Boone. Augustin Gallois, whose dissertation is on the eco-design of a lunar habitat, says that “we have the opportunity to study many aspects of a little-explored subject”.

A Chevalier des Palmes Académiques and active in a number of learned societies, Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez was elected Correspondent at the Académie de l’Air et de l’Espace, based in Toulouse, at the end of May. She joins two other active professors at ISAE-SUPAERO, Yves Gourinat (appointed full member) and Frédéric Dehais (correspondent). This is yet another accolade for this enthusiast, who is just one experience away from being fulfilled: travelling in space. “I tried my luck again when the ESA selected its astronauts for 2022. I went as far as the psycho-technical tests… But I’m not giving up. I’ll find a way!”

The Space Systems Design team (SaCLaB)

Part of the Design and Operation of Aerospace Vehicles (DCAS) research department, the Space Systems Design team is made up of five full members (Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez, Annafederica Urbano, Joan Pau Sanchez-Cuartielles, Thibault Gateau and Francesco Sanfedino), three post-docs and fifteen PhD students, who are supported by around sixty students working on research projects.

Its main areas of research are in-orbit servicing (space rendezvous, trajectory optimisation, quantification and propagation of uncertainties); monitoring and reduction of space debris, particularly in cislunar environments; advanced space transportation (reusable launch vehicles, space propulsion, refuelling in space and fuel storage); robotic and human space exploration (optimisation of interplanetary trajectories to the Moon, Mars, Phobos, Enceladus and asteroids); AI for autonomy and distributed systems; eco-design of lunar bases; characterisation of the impact of isolation and confinement on crew performance.

The environmental and societal impact of space missions is a theme that cuts across all research projects.

The Air and Space Academy

It is based in Toulouse and is made up of French and foreign members and correspondents who hold, or have held, major responsibilities in their respective fields related to aeronautics and space. They represent a unique pool of knowledge in Europe, with the aim of encouraging and promoting the development of high-quality scientific, technical, cultural and human activities in the fields of Air and Space. The correspondents liaise between the Academy and national and international aerospace activities.

Meeting with Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez, elected member of the Air and Space Academy

Last Updated On 16 July 2025

Meeting with Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez

Key dates

1971: born in Toulon (Var)
1995: graduated from Supaéro (S1995)
2008: working for Altran Technologies, part of the team of engineers operating the Jules Verne cargo ship, the first ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle)
2009: joins ISAE-SUPAERO as a lecturer in space systems engineering
2015: defends her doctoral thesis on “Optimisation of operational scenarios for crew rotations and refuelling of the cargo of an international station at the L2 Lagrange point of the Earth-Moon system” as part of a joint ISAE-SUPAERO / University of Stuttgart degree programme
2017: takes charge of SaCLaB, a research laboratory on advanced space systems, as part of a sponsorship chair with Airbus and ArianeGroup
2022: obtains her Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches, awarded by the University of Toulouse, on “Rendez-vous spatial: de l’orbite terrestre à l’environnement cis-lunaire” (Rendezvous in space: from terrestrial orbit to the cis-lunar environment)
2024: elected Correspondent of the French Air and Space Academy

Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez describes her career as “atypical”. But there is one constant: a burning passion for space.

This passion finds fertile ground in his native Provence, “where shooting stars are so bright”. And the Nice Observatory, the subject of a school trip at primary school. On her return, the schoolgirl couldn’t stop wondering about the Universe… and drawing her thirst for knowledge from books. “There was a mobile library that passed through the village where I lived. I used to borrow all the books on science. I was particularly struck by a story about Marie Curie told by her daughter. It was at that moment that she made her decision: she too would become a scientist. But in the field of space.”

During her secondary education, she heard about Supaéro. The École Nationale Supérieure de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace in Toulouse became her goal. During her preparatory studies at the Lycée Thiers in Marseille, she met an “exceptional” maths teacher who encouraged her to follow this path. A teacher who would later become… that of Arnaud Prost, another ISAE-SUPAERO alumnus and current ESA reserve astronaut.

“Astronauts in jeans”

One experience made a particular impression on her: “In 2008, I was part of the team of vehicle engineers responsible for developing and piloting the first ATV, a cargo spacecraft developed by ESA to supply the ISS.” We were known as the “astronauts in jeans”! I flew the first ATV from CNES in Toulouse. It was fantastic. I had five screens in front of me and I had to stay focused while bottles of champagne were being opened all around me!

From space rendezvous to advanced space systems

“In her new role, she has discovered a passion for teaching, and more particularly for supporting students. She found “the human side that was missing when I was an engineer”. At the same time, she began a doctoral thesis on space rendezvous – when two vehicles reduce their distance to become one – with a double degree from ISAE-SUPAERO and the University of Stuttgart. “It was interesting for me to discover the theory after having dealt with this subject operationally as an engineer”. After defending her thesis in 2015, she began supervising doctoral and post-doctoral students. She is also responsible for the Advanced Master® TAS Astro.

Her colleagues describe her as a teacher and professor who is very present and attentive. “She is very welcoming and, despite her busy schedule, she always finds time for her students and her colleagues,” notes Spencer Boone, a post-doctoral student in space mechanics. “After Covid, I was struggling to find a work placement. She opened the doors of her lab to me and we worked on my internship topic together,” says Augustin Gallois, now a PhD student under her supervision. Francesco Sanfedino, a lecturer and researcher in space systems control in his laboratory, remembers his years as a student engineer at ISAE-SUPAERO: “Stéphanie gave us the great opportunity to work on a research project involving a CubeSat. At the time, we knew nothing about the research environment, but our paper was selected for an international conference. It opened doors for me and my partner”.

Future research and little-explored subjects

In 2017, as part of a sponsorship chair with Airbus and ArianeGroup, Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez became head of SaCLaB (Space Advanced Concepts Laboratory), “a research laboratory on advanced space systems, along the lines of what is done in major American universities”. The laboratory is interested in orbital systems, future space transportation and robotic and manned space exploration in a future of more than 15 years (see box below).

The Space Systems Design team (SaCLaB)

Part of the Design and Operation of Aerospace Vehicles (DCAS) research department, the Space Systems Design team is made up of five permanent members (Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez, Annafederica Urbano, Joan Pau Sanchez-Cuartielles, Thibault Gateau and Francesco Sanfedino), three post-doctoral students and fifteen doctoral students, with around sixty students working on research projects.

Its main areas of research are in-orbit servicing (space rendezvous, trajectory optimisation, quantification and propagation of uncertainties); monitoring and reduction of space debris, particularly in cislunar environments; advanced space transportation (reusable launch vehicles, space propulsion, refuelling in space and fuel storage); robotic and human exploration of space (optimisation of interplanetary trajectories to the Moon, Mars, Phobos, Enceladus and asteroids); AI for autonomy and distributed systems; eco-design of lunar bases; characterisation of the impact of isolation and confinement on crew performance.

The environmental and societal impact of space missions is a theme that cuts across all research projects.

The Air and Space Academy

The Academy is based in Toulouse and is made up of French and foreign members and correspondents who hold, or have held, major responsibilities in their respective fields related to aeronautics and space. They represent a unique pool of knowledge in Europe, with the aim of encouraging and promoting the development of high-quality scientific, technical, cultural and human activities in the fields of Air and Space. The correspondents liaise between the Academy and national and international aerospace activities.

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Testimony from Yves Gourinat, elected full member of the Air and Space Academy

Meeting with Yves Gourinat, elected full member of the Académie de l'Air et de l'Espace

Key dates

A career in three vocations

A vocation for teaching

A turn in space

At ISAE-SUPAERO, “telling the science story”

A vocation for aeronautics

Recognition for a brilliant career

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